The earth witnesses about Jesus
We know that Jesus has control over nature because we all learn it in Sunday school. But there are other examples where creation seems to spontaneously express its joy at Jesus’ presence.
- At his birth, a star appears. (2:2)
- When Jesus dies, the sky goes black, rocks split and the earth shakes.(27:45,51)
An interesting thing about this is that the world’s irrepressible celebrating of its creator is actually evangelistic. ‘When the wise men saw the star, they were overjoyed’ (matt 2:10). They travel to Jerusalem, and ask for the new king. ‘We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him’ (2:2). They see a star, and they worship Jesus. That’s the sky itself witnessing to the Messiah – evangelism by astronomy.
Likewise the centurion presiding over Jesus execution: ‘When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”’ (27:54) Jesus does not summon the earthquake. No words of explanation are said. The earth shakes its fist in frustration and anguish at what is being done to its creator, and the centurion understands.
